Tengzhong in Advanced Talks to Purchase HUMMER From GM in Strategic Acquisition
02 Juin 2009 - 10:09PM
PR Newswire (US)
Industrial Machinery Company To Invest in Growth and Global
Expansion of Premium Off-Road Vehicle Brand; Deal is Expected to
Secure Over 3,000 U.S. Jobs DETROIT and SICHUAN, China, June 2
/PRNewswire/ -- Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co.,
Ltd (Tengzhong) and General Motors Corp. (GM), today confirmed
details of their proposed transaction, pursuant to which,
Tengzhong, a major industrial machinery group, will acquire the
rights to the premium off-road HUMMER brand, along with a senior
management and operational team. It will also assume existing
dealer agreements relating to HUMMER's dealership network. It is
contemplated that Tengzhong will, as part of the transaction, enter
into a long-term contract assembly and key component and material
supply agreement with GM. In an earlier statement, GM said it
expects the deal if successful to secure more than 3,000 U.S. jobs.
The final terms of the deal are subject to final negotiations.
Based in the Chinese province of Sichuan, Tengzhong is a
privately-owned company and a leading domestic manufacturer of
road, construction and energy industry equipment. It will expand
into the premium off-road vehicle segment through what will be a
strategic acquisition for Tengzhong and a catalyst for HUMMER's
growth in the U.S. and around the world. "The HUMMER brand is
synonymous with adventure, freedom and exhilaration, and we plan to
continue that heritage by investing in the business, allowing
HUMMER to innovate and grow in exciting new ways under the
leadership and continuity of its current management team," said
Yang Yi, CEO of Tengzhong. Mr. Yang continued, "We will be
investing in the HUMMER brand and its research and development
capabilities, which will allow HUMMER to better meet demand for new
products such as more fuel-efficient vehicles in the U.S." HUMMER
will continue to maintain its headquarters and operations in the
U.S., and will continue to be managed by its existing leadership
team. The team intends to expand HUMMER's dealer network worldwide,
particularly into new and underserved markets such as China. "Today
HUMMER is a globally recognized brand with excellent growth
prospects, both in terms of new markets and new products for our
existing markets," said James Taylor, HUMMER chief executive
officer. "With Tengzhong's investment and strong support, we will
be able to make our visions a reality. This transaction, if
successful, will secure more than 3,000 U.S. jobs, and allow us to
embark on a more aggressive global expansion, ensuring a successful
future with our new partners." The transaction is expected to close
in the third quarter of this year and is subject to customary
closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Financial terms of the
agreement will not be disclosed at this time. Credit Suisse is
acting as exclusive financial advisor and Shearman & Sterling
is acting as international legal counsel to Tengzhong on this
transaction. Citi is acting as financial advisor to GM. About GM
General Motors Corp. (GM), one of the world's largest automakers,
was founded in 1908, and today manufactures cars and trucks in 34
countries. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs
235,000 people in every major region of the world, and sells and
services vehicles in some 140 countries. In 2008, GM sold 8.35
million cars and trucks globally under the following brands: Buick,
Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac,
Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's largest national market is
the United States, followed by China, Brazil, the United Kingdom,
Canada, Russia and Germany. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry
leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More
information on GM can be found at http://www.gm.com/. About
Tengzhong Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd.
("Tengzhong") is one of China's major privately owned engineering
companies. Tengzhong is a manufacturer of heavy machinery equipment
with a presence in special-use vehicles, road and bridge
construction equipment and construction and energy industry
equipment. Since its establishment, Tengzhong has quickly become a
major manufacturer of machinery and construction components through
a series of successful acquisitions. Tengzhong prides itself on its
automated manufacturing equipment, its processing systems,
significant research and development initiatives and commitment to
innovation. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains
forward-looking statements. All statements contained in this press
release that are not clearly historical in nature or that
necessarily depend on future events are forward-looking, and the
words "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "plan," and
similar expressions are generally intended to identify
forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current
expectations, estimates and projections of GM's and Tengzhong's
management and currently available information. They are not
guarantees of future performance, and investors are cautioned that
all forward-looking statements involve certain risks and
uncertainties that are difficult to predict and are based upon
assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate.
Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or
achievements of GM and Tengzhong to be materially different from
those that may be expressed or implied by such statements,
including but not limited to those discussed in GM's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, as amended, and
other filings with the SEC. Although GM and Tengzhong believe the
assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained
herein are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the
forward-looking statements included in this press release will
prove to be accurate. Contacts Brunswick Group Limited - Tengzhong
China and Hong Kong Tim Payne Zhao Tong +852 3512-5066 (o) +852
3512-5088 (o) +852 6104-6266 (c) +852 9011-8258 (c) U.S. Christina
Stenson Monika Driscoll +1 212-333-3810 (o) +1 212-333-3810 (o) +1
646-361-7706 (c) +1 917-293-2483 (c) U.K. Tim Burt +44 20-7396-7497
(o) +44 7834-502-497 (c) John McDonald GM Communications
313-667-3714 (o) 313-418-2139 (c) Nick Richards HUMMER
Communications 313-665-9292 (o) 313-720-9541 (c) DATASOURCE:
Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd; General
Motors CONTACT: China and Hong Kong: Tim Payne, +852 3512-5066 (o),
+852 6104-6266 (c), or , or Zhao Tong, +852 3512-5088 (o), +852
9011-8258 (c), or , or U.S.: Christina Stenson, +1-212-333-3810
(o), +1-646-361-7706 (c) , or Monika Driscoll, +1-212-333-3810 (o),
+1-917-293-2483 (c), , or U.K.: Tim Burt, +44 20-7396-7497 (o), +44
7834-502-497 (c), ; John McDonald, GM Communications,
+1-313-667-3714 (o), +1-313-418-2139 (c), or ; Nick Richards,
HUMMER Communications, +1-313-665-9292 (o), +1-313-720-9541 (c), or
Web Site: http://www.gm.com/
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